Volunteers to perform at horse show to benefit county home

Local volunteers are saddling up for a horse show this weekend to help raise money to support residents of the Medina County Home.

The Medina County Kids Care Horse Show gets under way at 9:30 a.m. Sunday at the Medina County Fairgrounds.

Local equestrians perform in a horse show last year at the Medina County Fairgrounds as part of the Medina Kids Care for Medina County Home Residents benefit. The non-profit provides home residents with personal items and things they need. (GAZETTE FILE PHOTO)

Profits from the show will benefit the Medina County Home, which provides 60 beds for rest-home type care for low-income people who need assistance in caring for themselves.

Melinda Clutter said her family became involved in hosting the horse show 12 years ago when the home, which is funded primarily by the county through a 0.2 percent levy voters renewed in 2011, was in danger of closing.

“There are people there who really don’t have any other place to go,” Clutter said. “When you go there, you just fall in love with the place and the people.”

Clutter said Medina Kids Care got involved with the horse show to raise money and has grown to include hosting parties and events to help cheer up the residents throughout the year.

Her group hosts a Super Bowl and holiday parties, and gives residents gift baskets and smaller items to cheer them up and personal items to make their lives a little easier.

“We’re kind of like families for these people who don’t really have family,” she said.

Sunday’s show will feature events in all age categories. Clutter said there’s even a special event for people without horses. Entry is $1 and those participating will be eligible to win a prize.

“We’ve definitely got something for everyone,” she said.

Some of the County Home residents will be at the event, making it a good opportunity for the community to get to know them.

“The residents just get so happy about the horse show,” she said. “They’ve been buzzing about it for over a month now.”